


Songs From The Heart

by typicalaveragefangirl



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmukkah, F/M, Song: Christmas Tree Farm (Taylor Swift), Song: HERE (For Christmas) (Lukas Graham), Songfic, holiday fic, you all know i suck at tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:29:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28247676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/typicalaveragefangirl/pseuds/typicalaveragefangirl
Summary: A series of one-shots inspired from some of my favorite holiday tunes! Some follow the entire song, some are only loosely related to a single lyric, and some are heart songs.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman
Comments: 11
Kudos: 11
Collections: Clarkeman Holiday Fic Exchange 2020





	1. Christmas Tree Farm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vilindeer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vilindeer/gifts).



> A series of one-shots inspired from some of my favorite holiday tunes! Some follow the entire song, some are only loosely related to a single lyric, and some are heart songs.

“So, Max, is this the first time you’ve had a brown Christmas?” Mitch asked, the third of his questions in as many minutes. He was in full-out embarrassing dad mode, meeting his daughter’s  _ “work friend” _ for the first time. 

At the confused look on said friend’s face, Mitch clarified “You said you’re from New York, right? That must mean you usually spend the holidays with snow!” 

“Oh, yes!” Max said, an easy smile taking over his face. “Grew up in the Bronx and then went to NYU, so I usually had snow. As a kid I couldn’t imagine living somewhere without snow, but then one year my family went to The Bahamas in December and I realized I didn’t really need snow to be in a festive mood.”

Mitch, Maggie, and Zoey had picked Max up and were making their way to the Pronzini Christmas Tree Farm, where they picked out their Christmas tree every year; David and Emily were meeting them there. 

It was always one of Zoey’s favorite days of the year, picking out their Christmas tree as a family. She always opted for the tallest Douglas Fir she could find, loving the fragrance it gave off for the entire holiday season; David, on the other hand, always wanted short trees so that he could reach the top to place the angel without help. 

Usually to no avail, Maggie tried to softly push for pine trees because she liked the more elegant look and the fact they didn’t shed as many needles when she was inevitably the one adding more water day after day. And Mitch, well—Mitch just smiled and let his family fight it out and then safely attached it to the top of the car to get the winner home safe. 

This year, Zoey’s parents had pushed her to invite Max to come with them to pick out the tree. They’d just started working together at SPRQ Point a couple months ago and had become fast friends, and once she’d told her parents that Max didn’t plan on going home for the holidays they had made it their mission to ensure he was included in all of their traditions. 

“There’s Davey!” Maggie said with a smile as they pulled into the familiar parking lot, urging Mitch to park near them. 

As they all piled out of their cars and made their way to start looking through their options, Mitch headed to the cider stand in the corner. Passing out steaming cups to everyone, he fell into step with Max at the back of the group walking through the aisles. 

“So, did your family have a real tree or an artificial one growing up, Max?” 

Max looked down at his cup for a second, and then gave Mitch a slight chuckle and said, “Well, I’m actually Jewish, so we didn’t have a tree growing up. My parents got an artificial tree once my older brother started bringing his now-wife around, though!”

Mitch stopped in his tracks. 

“Zoey Margaret Clarke,” he said, loud enough to get her attention from where she was a few feet ahead, already bickering with David.

“He started it!” Zoey said, “I just pointed out a pretty tree. He’s the one who got all defensive!”

“I am not talking about your brother; I expect you and your brother to argue here,” he said, walking up to his daughter. “I am talking about the fact that you failed to mention that Max is  _ Jewish _ before we invited him shopping for Christmas trees.” 

“You’re Jewish?” Zoey asked, head turning to Max with eyebrows raised. 

Max just laughed, expecting nothing less. He and Zoey had been friends for a few months, and in those few months he’d quickly realized that she wasn’t good with things that didn’t have definite answers, and he’d wrestled with his beliefs enough for the both of them. “Don’t worry, I’ve gotten very good at celebrating Christmukkah with my niece and nephew. It’s just nice to get out of my apartment!” 

After another 20 minutes of Zoey and David arguing about which was  _ really _ the perfect tree, the Clarkes finally landed on a tree that everyone seemed satisfied with. 

Maggie, David, Emily, and Zoey found their way into the barn as Max offered to help Mitch load the tree up. The “barn,” a big half building on the side of the farm, had holiday decorations for sale, a big bonfire, and sparkling lights hanging everywhere in sight. There was always music playing and holly and ribbons flowing and children laughing and in Zoey’s eyes every inch of it was perfect. When she was young, Zoey had gotten her first photo on Santa’s lap in this barn, and then when she was older she shared a kiss with her first boyfriend under the mistletoe on a big group date. This barn felt like every wish coming true, and Zoey loved every minute of it every single year. 

The Clarkes gathered around the bonfire, taking off mittens and coats and scarves as the crackling heat warmed them up. Max and Mitch joined them a few minutes later, and then as Last Christmas by Wham! started playing, Mitch took Maggie’s hand and started dancing with her in the open space that often was turned into a makeshift dance floor by patrons. 

“Do you want to dance, babe?” David asked Emily, hopeful glint in his eyes. Zoey knew this place  _ really was magical _ when Emily agreed to dance with her brother without even a single sarcastic remark. 

“Get up, Max,” Zoey said, hopping up from the bale of hay she’d been sitting on. 

Max’s eyes shone bright, but as he raised his eyebrows and pulled just one corner of his mouth up, his face said “really?”

“Oh, c’mon,” she groaned, “you didn’t really think that I wouldn’t take advantage of finally not being my family’s fifth wheel, did you?” 

That remark rewarded Zoey with another laugh from Max, and he took her hand, spinning her around his body onto the dance floor. They rocked back and forth for the next couple of minutes, and then when the song ended, Zoey took another step closer and buried her head into Max’s chest to give him a tight hug.

“Thanks for coming with me, even if you didn’t need a Christmas tree on account of the whole being Jewish thing.” 

“Merry Christmas, Zo.” 

“Happy Hanukkah, Max.” 

* * *

Zoey opened the door to Max’s apartment, eyes lighting up briefly as he walked into view from the kitchen, two glasses of wine in hand. 

“Sorry I’m late,” she said with a sigh. “I tried to go to the mall to shop for my mom and David and Emily and Peter because during work I realized that somehow it’s already only two weeks until Christmas and traffic was horrible so I didn’t get there until late but then I got into the parking lot and saw a sign for Pronzini Tree Farm and I realized we didn’t take Dad there on his last Christmas so instead of shopping I had a good cry in the parking lot and-” 

“Zoey, babe, take a breath,” Max said, pulling her into him for a hug. She buried her head into his chest, and stayed there for several minutes before pulling away. 

The last few weeks had been long; Zoey was really struggling with the first Christmas season since Mitch died, and Max was struggling with finding anything that might even slightly ease his girlfriend’s pain. In the months since they’d been together, she was starting to find some sort of new normal without her dad, but that new normal essentially went to shit when the holidays rolled around. 

“Did you know the first time we ever hugged was at Pronzini?” Zoey asked as they settled into the couch with wine in hand. 

“Really?” Max asked, a smile spreading across his face. He was used to being the one who remembered things like that about their relationship, but hearing Zoey recall that day made him pull her closer into his side, arm going around her. 

“Yeah, my parents and D & Em were dancing, and I asked you to dance too,” she said, “and then I just hugged you. Like we’d done it a thousand times. I don’t know why I remember it so clearly.” 

“The main thing I remember from that year is showing up at your parent’s house a few weeks later, and your parents had set up a menorah on the fireplace. The stocking they’d gotten me had the star of David on it and they added a few Chrismukkah ornaments to the tree,” Max said with a chuckle. “I think your dad apologized for not knowing I was Jewish every single year after.” 

They both fell into silence, thinking about all the things that had changed—the good and the bad—over the last few of years. 

“I sure love ya, Max,” Zoey said softly as her head fell onto his shoulder again. 

“Yeah, I sure love you too, Zo.” 


	2. HERE (For Christmas)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few minutes later, Max came out and sat next to her on the stoop. They were both quiet until he finally asked, “you okay, Zo?” 
> 
> She leaned her head onto Max’s shoulder and he pressed a kiss into her hair. A slow smile spread across her face. 
> 
> “I will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heartsong: HERE (For Christmas) By Lukas Graham

It had been a long time since Zoey Clarke had heard a heartsong; since the day she’d gotten that fateful MRI all those years ago, the amount of heartsongs sung to her on any given day ebbed and flowed like any good tune does. But lately they had been few and far between. 

So when her mother threw a Christmas Eve party for the first time since her father had died five years ago, she expected there would be many emotions involved, but even that expectation didn’t quite prepare her for the event that occurred when she walked in the house. 

When Maggie opened the door at her and Max’s arrival, she expected hugs and hellos and maybe even a few tears, but instead, she heard the first notes of a heartsong. In a way of greeting, her mom started to sing,

_ Every year around this time I start to think about you _

_ We're really gonna have another Christmas Eve without you _

_ I can't believe it's been so long _

David joined Maggie at the door, coming up and hugging Zoey and putting his arm around Max’s shoulders as he led them both into the living room. David sang, 

_ Every day finds a way to make me think about you _

_ Like today when we were picking out the tree without you _

_ I can't believe it's been so long _

Emily was sitting on the couch with Peter reading The Night Before Christmas, and when they looked up to see Max and Zoey had arrived, they sang the next verse together. 

_ Oh, we miss you like hell, all the stories that you'd tell _

_ About the boat that you built but never got to sail _

_ I don't know whether I should cry or I should smile through my tears _

Zoey had tears in her eyes, but could help but giggle at little Peter’s rendition of a heartsong; she was struck by how similar the scene was to the day of her dad’s funeral—everyone filling the Clarke house with a song for Mitch that only she could hear. She hoped he was somewhere he could hear the song, too. 

Max joined in with the rest of her family for the next few lines of the song.

_ But if you were here we would sail that boat into the red horizon _

_ Those years lost I'd tell you all about 'em _

_ Gone don't always mean that you disappear _

_ 'Cause inside all of us you're still here _

Maggie continued singing as time passed, the rest of the party’s guests arriving one by one. 

_ Another year has passed and now it's time for buying presents _

_ I even got you one forgetting you're not gonna get it _

_ I can't believe it's been so long _

And then Zoey found Max sitting on an armchair in the living room, and settled into his lap. Her dad’s best friend, Paul, picked up the next verse, 

_ This time around we'll try to smile 'cause we're sick of tears _

_ Most days are easy now but it gets hard this time of year _

_ I can't believe you're really gone _

More and more people filled the house. Howie, who’d stayed in contact with the family since Mitch’s death, greeted Zoey with a hug when Maggie ushered him out of the cold and into the living room. He sang,

_ Oh, we miss you like hell, all the stories that you'd tell _

_ About the boat that you built but never got to sail _

_ I don't know whether I should cry or I should smile through my tears _

The entire room broke out in the next chorus together, bringing Zoey to tears once again. 

_ But if you were here we would sail that boat into the red horizon _

_ Those years lost I'd tell you all about 'em _

_ Gone don't always mean that you disappear _

_ 'Cause inside all of us you're still _

_ Wild and free, I've got so many memories _

_ Soon time too will take all of them from me _

_ Gone don't always mean that you disappear _

_ 'Cause inside all of us you're still here _

Everyone but Maggie quieted after the chorus, and hearing her mom’s voice as she sang out the next verse—somehow strong and steady while still sounding like it might break at any second—sent Zoey off the emotional ledge.

_ When it's dark and it's cold, everyone is comin' home _

_ I just wish you could know that's when we're missing you the most _

_ I don't know whether I should cry or I should smile through my tears _

Zoey walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her and sat on the front step; she looked up at the clear night sky, a slight chill in the air, and thought of her dad as she sang out the chorus one last time.

_ But if you were here we would sail that boat into the red horizon _

_ Those years lost I'd tell you all about 'em _

_ Gone don't always mean that you disappear _

_ 'Cause inside all of us you're still _

_ Wild and free, I've got so many memories _

_ Soon time too will take all of them from me _

_ Gone don't always mean that you disappear _

_ 'Cause inside all of us you're still here _

A few minutes later, Max came out and sat next to her on the stoop. They were both quiet until he finally asked, “you okay, Zo?” 

She leaned her head onto Max’s shoulder and he pressed a kiss into her hair. A slow smile spread across her face. 

  
“I will be.” 


End file.
